


Purple butterflies

by Pollarize



Category: Bandom, Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Face Painting, Fair, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-08-08 06:24:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7746586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pollarize/pseuds/Pollarize
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh goes to the fair.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Purple butterflies

**Author's Note:**

> that summary was so basic
> 
> so inspo credit goes to elsa: i tried to find her at the fair bc she was hot af but i couldnt and now im sad clink clink mother fucker

Josh was holding onto Caleb’s hand, swinging it between them. His nephew was by far his favorite person and when his sister mentioned they all go to the fair, Josh jumped on the idea.

 

“Please, Abby, let’s go,” he’d begged his sister and she agreed. She said that he would have to babysit Caleb but Josh was completely fine with that. 

 

Josh was walking around the fair, hand in hand with his nephew, pointing to different rides.

 

“Josh, I said I wanted my face painted first,” Caleb said with a pout, tugging Josh’s hand over to the barn where they’d seen a boy painting faces. Josh was more concerned with wanting to look at the horses and cows, had hardly paid attention to the tent and the colorful paints.

 

“Well, will you go on the ring of fire with me after we get your face painted?” His nephew nodded and Josh thought it was compromise enough. They walked into the barn, Caleb tugging Josh’s arm the whole way, coming to stand in front of the tent. He stopped at the edge, his eyes going wide as he stared at the face painter who stared back, a gentle smile on his face.

 

“Josh, I don’t want to do this anymore,” Caleb said, backing up a step.

 

“C’mon, Caleb, he’s not scary, I’m sure he’s nice,” Josh said, gesturing to the boy waiting silently. He met Josh’s smile and gave a small nod, his smile growing. Josh didn’t like his smile, it was wide and happy and it made him feel something in his chest.

 

“Would you go first?” Caleb asked and Josh nodded his head, swallowing as he stepped up to the chair and took a seat. He flipped through the book that was handed to him and pointed at a design.

 

“I think I’d look pretty good with a sparkly, purple butterfly.”

 

Caleb made a face and sat down at Josh’s feet, watching the paint being applied to Josh’s face.

 

Josh was trying not to breathe, only because he thought it would mess up the paint. It wasn’t because he kept looking at the boy out of the corner of his eye and it definitely wasn’t because his chest got tight each time he noticed how beautiful he was. His eyes, his nose, his lips, Josh wasn’t noticing any of it.

 

“Done,” the boy said quietly, pulling away from Josh and smiling, his hand that had rested on Josh’s chin was gone. Josh had to stand up and smile and thank the boy. He watched as his nephew sat down and got his own face painted with a matching butterfly.

 

Josh paid and tipped the guy. 

 

“For being patient with Caleb,” was his reasoning but it was weak and he felt exposed when he said it. The boy laughed and thanked him before they were walking away.

 

Josh realized as he stood out in the sun that he was just a huge chicken, that he really wanted to ask for the guys number or even name. He also knew that he couldn’t go back for the same exact reason. So he followed as Caleb tugged on his arm and he got on ride after ride until he was sure he was going to throw up everywhere. It wasn’t until then, a hand over his mouth to keep himself from being sick and fingers brushing against dried paint that he had an idea. He waited until he didn’t feel so dizzy, so nauseous before he dropped his hand and looked at Caleb.

 

“What do you say we go get you another face painting? I think I saw a unicorn or something in that book,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows at Caleb. He looked unimpressed.

 

“I already have a butterfly, I don’t want another.” He’d admired his nephews stubbornness before but definitely not now. Josh rested his hand on Caleb’s back and guided him back towards the barn, the kid complaining the whole time.

 

“Stop, it’ll be fun, you’ll look so cool,” Josh said, stepping up to the tent. Caleb was pouting and Josh was smiling and the boy looked between the two of them with a curious look.

 

“Yeah, want another?” He asked, patting the chair. Caleb looked up at Josh before he stomped over and sat down, pointing at a design that caught his attention. Josh stood there and watched, smiling at his nephew, not at the fact that the boy was adorable and Josh was still struggling to breathe.

 

“What’s your name?” He finally managed to get out and the boy looked up at Josh, his paintbrush still at Caleb’s cheek.

 

“Tyler,” he said, smiling before he turned back to Caleb to focus.

 

Josh realized as he was walking out of the barn with his nephew that he had yet again forgotten to get Tyler’s number and he had no other excuse to go back. He pouted for a long time, mumbling to himself about how it wasn’t fair. His nephew never noticed his bad mood and dragged him onto ride after ride until Josh’s sister called and said it was time for Caleb to leave. 

 

“You need a ride home?” She asked and Josh shook his head.

 

“I saw a few friends here so I’ll go catch up with them and have them drive me back.” His sister smiled and nodded. Josh went back in and found his friends, all of them talking and laughing and getting on a few rides. 

 

“We, uh,” they all laughed and tried to compose themselves, “We like your butterfly.”

 

Josh hadn’t remembered he’d still had it painted on his face and he touched it gently, a blush coming to his cheeks.

 

“Caleb wanted it and wanted me to go first. Besides, the guy was cute,” Josh said, looking down at the floor at the admission. They all gave him a look.

 

“Did you at least get his number?”

 

Josh shook his head and sighed.

 

“I was too nervous, he was busy, there was a whole line after me.”

 

“Totally.”

 

They ushered Josh back towards the barn, hands tight on his wrists so he couldn’t turn around and leave.

 

“Guys, please, no, I don’t want to, I-” he stopped when they all practically ran into Tyler.

 

“Oh, hey, sorry, I was just leaving,” Tyler said quietly, a small smile on his face as he stepped around the group and started to walk away. Josh’s friends were all nudging him, giving him a look, one even whispered ‘dude’ in a desperate attempt to help out his friend. Tyler turned around like he expected something, eyes on Josh and a small, almost knowing smile on his face.

 

“Fuck, shit, Tyler?” Josh said finally, stepping away from his friends and covering his face with his hands for a moment. Tyler met him halfway and smiled sweetly.

 

“Yeah?” He asked, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

 

“So, you’re cute, okay? I just wanted your number,” he said nervously, holding his phone out like that would make it better. Tyler laughed and nodded.

  
“I was wondering when you were going to ask.”

**Author's Note:**

> this was awful


End file.
